The Fifth Element Page #3

24INT. SPACESHIP

TECHNICIAN:

The probe will attain its objective in

five seconds.

Staedert moves closer to the ship's window.

25EXT. SPACE.

Evil swallows the probe and immediately bubbles over with activity like a

furious volcano.

26INT. PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

STAEDERT:

Mr. President, we're at crisis point.

The President looks puzzled.

PRESIDENT:

Your theory is interesting Father but

I don't think we have time to go into it

right now!

CORNELIUS:

Time is of no importance, Mr. President.

Only life is important.

PRESIDENT:

(exasperated)

That's exactly what we are going to try and do:

Protect the lives of some 200 billion of our

fellow citizens! General?

You may fire when ready.

27INT. SPACESHIP

STAEDERT:

(cold) (to the CAPTAIN)

..Up front loading of a 120 ZZR missile.

Marker lights on the objective.

28EXT. OUTSIDE SPACESHIP

All of a sudden, outside the ship, the strange planet's activity ceases.

A black crust immediately covers it.

29INT. PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

SCIENTIST:

(consulting new data)

Its structure has just solidified on the surface,

as if the object felt something. If that's the case,

we are undoubtedly dealing with an intelligence.

CORNELIUS:

The most terrible intelligence imaginable,

Mr. President.

The President hesitates.

CAPTAIN:

...The ship is in combat formation.

The missile is loaded, General.

PRESIDENT:

(uneasy)

Staedert? Give me a minute...

I have a doubt.

STAEDERT:

(cold)

I don't, Mr. President.

30EXT. OUTSIDE SPACESHIP

The missile explodes from the ship and penetrates its target. The

explosion is swallowed like a fizzy pill in a small glass of water.

Nothing happens. And then the mass grows larger.

31INT. CONTROL ROOM / PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

Staedert looks worried.

STAEDERT:

Load a series of 740 missiles. Maximum

shield protection.

CAPTAIN:

Yes, Sir.

The President is growing ever more worried.

PRESIDENT:

Staedert? What's going on? Did you

destroy it?

STAEDERT:

I'm about to, Mr. President.

32EXT. SPACESHIP

A series of three missiles heads for the planet, which absorbs them all.

And literally doubles in size.

SCIENTIST:

The planet's diameter has greatly

increased and it's moving toward the ship.

PRESIDENT:

Staedert? Get out of there immediately!

I don't want an incident, do you hear me,

Staedert?

STAEDERT:

(worried)

...What do we have that's bigger than 240?

CAPTAIN:

Nothing, General.

PRESIDENT:

Staedert, get out of there! That's an order!

A bead of sweat pearls Staedert's forehead. He is about to give an order

when a gigantic flame emerges from the planet and literally swallows

Staedert's spaceship.

STAEDERT:

(eyes wide)

... Good God!

The flame fills the screen with a horrendous NOISE that....

33INT. APARTMENT

... wakes up a man trying to escape from a nightmare. KORBEN DALLAS rubs

his head. Thirty five years old, short hair, powerfully built,

unquestionable charm, good looking in spite of the scars here and there.

The alarm clock is still ringing, it shows the date as March 18, 2359. It

in two in the morning. Ha grabs a cigarette, and stops to look for a

light. He shuts oft the alarm. He hears a cat mewing in the hall. But it

still rings. Korben takes a moment and then realizes it in the phone

that is ringing.

KORBEN:

(to the cat)

I'm coming.

He grabs the phone and crosses his tiny apartment (27 feet long by 6 feet

wide) heading for the door, patting himself for a light. Behind him, the

bed makes itself automatically.

KORBEN:

(on the phone)

Yeah?

FINGER (V.O.)

Hey bud! Finger here.

He opens the door for the cat and starts to rummage through a drawer for

a match. Out come a handful of war decorations, a hero's collection.

KORBEN:

(to the cat)

Hi sweetie!

...A Medal of Honor Certificate to Major Dallas

FINGER (V.O.)

I love you too Major, but you haven't called

me that since basic training.

KORBEN:

I was talking to the cat.

FINGER (V.O.)

Oh, yeah, I forgot.You still prefer

your cat to the real thing.

...A picture of Korben and his ex-wife on their wedding day.

KORBEN:

At least, the cat comes back.

FINGER (V.O.)

(ironical)

You still pining for that two timing b*tch.

Forget her.

There are a million women out there.

KORBEN:

I don't want a million - I just want

one. A perfect one.

FINGER (V.O.)

Don't exist bud.

...A picture of Korben and Finger in uniform next to a space fighter.

KORBEN:

I just found a picture of you.

FINGER (V.O.)

How do I look?

KORBEN:

Like sh*t.

Korben finds a box of matches with three matches. He strikes one. It

does not light. Korben opens the fridge, bare, except for an empty can of

GEMINI croquettes.

On the packet is an ad:

WIN A DREAM TRIP FOR 2 TO FHLOSTON PARADISE.

FINGER (V.O.)

Must be an old picture.. Listen, you gotta bring

me your hack for the 6 month overhaul. A.S.A.P.

Korben heats up some brackish water.

KORBEN:

(sighs)

I don't need one.

FINGER (V.O.)

You forgetting who sat next to you for

a thousand missions.

I know how you drive.

KORBEN:

Finger! I'm driving a cab now, not a

space fighter!!

FINGER (V.O.)

How many points you got left on your

license?

KORBEN:

(lying)

Uh... at least fifty.

FINGER (V.O.)

In your dreams! See you tonight!

Finger has hang up. Korben sighs and does the same. He gets the heated

brackish water and sits down. The cat pounces on the table and meows for

its food. Korben pours half the coffee in the cat's cup.

The cat meows. Korben taps his cup to the cat's saucer.

KORBEN:

Cheers!

34INT. HALL - DAY - OMIT

35INT. GARAGE - DAY - OMIT

36INT. PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

The office is emptied, only a few army officers remain. An ancient

manuscript, Billy's drawings, sits in front of the President. Cornelius

turns page after page, illustrating his

point.

CORNELIUS:

(to the President)

We have forty-eight hours, the time it needs

to adapt itself to our living conditions.

PRESIDENT:

(worried)

And then?

CORNELIUS:

And then it will be too late. The goal of

evil is to wipe out life! All forms of life.

For all eternity...Life upsets it.

The President appears upset himself by this image.

PRESIDENT:

Is there anything that can stop it?

CORNELIUS:

(knowing)

Yes..thank God..

37EXT. SPACE

The Mondoshawan spaceship bursts through a star cluster and fills the

screen.

38INT. COCKPIT - OMIT

39INT. PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

The manuscript is open on the President's desk.. CLOSE ON:

Billy's rendering of the Mondoshawan.

CORNELIUS:

(to the President)

The Mondoshawans don't belong to the

Federated Territories, but they are peaceful...

in their possession are the four elements of life.

These elements when they are gathered around a fifth:

The Supreme Being, ultimate warrior, created to protect

life......

The SUPREME BEING is standing, as if frozen in armor. All we see is the

bottom half of his body. Big metallic gloves hold the case engraved with

the emblem of the three suns containing the four Sacred Stones.

CORNELIUS:

..will produce what the ancients called the

light of creation, the light of total goodness

which is the only thing that can defeat EVIL.

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